Over the past few weeks, we have observed the discourse that has emerged due to ABCT’s Apology for Behavior Therapy’s Contribution to the Development and Practice of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Change Efforts: History and Next Steps.  SSCP and ABCT are ‘sibling organizations’ that are highly collaborative and share a large number of members. We support ABCT’s apology statement and the Silverstein Award. We also want to acknowledge and support the Sexual and Gender Minority Special Interest Group, whose hard work, courage, and assertiveness pushed the cognitive and behavioral therapy fields to center LGBTQ+ voices in decision-making. We recognize the fear, emotional pain, bravery, and strong advocacy it took to speak out effectively and create change.

On behalf of SSCP, we apologize for the complicit role SSCP had in the support or promotion of conversion therapies. We commit to assisting in the wide dissemination of the harms and lack of efficacy of conversion therapies, and the stopping of its use. The burden of stopping the practice of harmful therapies is shared by all organizations committed to clinical psychological science. We support a transparent and evidence-based approach in order to reduce the harmful impact of publications on conversion therapies.  We acknowledge the pain that revelations regarding publications relating to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression change efforts have caused many members of the LGBTQ+ community both within our field and outside of it. We support the desire to stop the harm of such articles and disseminate the ineffectiveness and harm of conversion therapies. We call for LGBTQ+ voices within our community to be centered in discussions of a course forward in regards to these articles that will mitigate harm and promote healing.

On June 16, 2022 the SSCP Board met and focused on the actions SSCP could take to center the Sexual and Gender Minority voices and stop the practice of harmful therapies in our field. We will work on:

• Hosting alone or in partnership with other organizations webinars, workshops, or Virtual Clinical Lunches on the harm of conversion therapies.
• Supporting state law bans for conversion therapy for all ages. Currently, only 20 states and D.C., have state law bans for conversion therapy for minors, with 5 additional states having partial bans. There are 22 states with no state law or policy and 3 with preliminary injunctions preventing the enforcement of conversion therapy bans (https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/conversion_therapy).
• Creating a workshop with continuing education credit on harmful psychological interventions and offer this workshop via state licensing boards.
• Centering Sexual and Gender Minority voices in our newsletters and Virtual Clinical Lunches.
• Developing the Rising Star in Social Justice, an award for assistant and associate professors who meaningfully contribute to social justice, in an acknowledgement to the early career researchers within the Sexual and Gender Minority Special Interest Group of ABCT who spoke out.
• Taking strong stances and advocating against policies that will cause the LGBTQ+ community irreparable harm (e.g., engage in advocacy regarding bans on trans healthcare), consistent with our core scientific values.
• Promoting evidence-based psychological interventions and best practices for the care of Sexual and Gender Minorities.
• Creating a workshop with continuing education credit on best practices in sexual minority-affirming care and offer this workshop via state licensing boards.

The SSCP Board commits to routinely discussing ways we can continue to advance clinical science, best practices, dissemination of clinical science, and mental health of Sexual and Gender Minorities.